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Treatment of a disease entity may include the same treatment that an allopathic doctor would advise, including medication and surgery, with an additional emphasis on osteopathic manipulative treatment. Treatment is not aimed at the disease itself, but at the bodys structural problems which in turn affect function. Since the treatment is based on the philosophy that the body is a unit whose parts are integrally interrelated, treatment of a structural problem accelerates the bodys own ability to positively affect the underlying causes of the disease itself.
After a thorough evaluation, the physician may opt to implement OMT (Osteopathic Manual Therapy) in addition to or instead of surgery and/or the prescribing of medication. Various techniques can be implemented:
 | High Velocity Low Amplitude: a thrusting technique used to reposition misalignments in bodily structure. |
 | Myofascial Release: a technique used to release restriction of the muscle and fascia in order to restore a functional balance and improve lymphatic flow. |
 | Muscle Energy: a form of OMT used to relax muscle groups and increase range of motion. |
 | Counterstrain and Facilitated Positional Release (FPR): a technique used for areas of tenderness usually located near bony attachments of tendons, ligaments, or muscle bellies. |
 | Lymphatic Drainage: a technique used for numerous problems such as lung congestion, edema of the legs, congestive heart failure, bronchitis, etc., to help the lymph fluid drain in its natural path and therefore promote circulation and healing. |
 | Craniosacral Osteopathy: established by William Sutherland, DO, this technique is based on the idea that the central nervous system (CNS), the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and the dural membranes surrounding the CNS function as a unit. Any motion of the dura will influence the cranial bones, allowing freer flow of the CSF, influencing disturbances in the neuromuscular system. |
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Content last modified on Sep 4, 2003
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